Hello everyone, for our November meeting we will be hosting DL Amanda Bogner, PE, BEMP, FASHRAE on "Getting to Net-Zero Energy Before the RFP".
The profession needs to advance high-performance in challenging markets and climate regions. The speaker describes the top five considerations that should be evaluated for every zero-net energy project during the pre-RFP process. Then, the speaker explains how to set a meaningful energy target on a proposed project - which is critical to achieving zero-net energy. Finally, the speaker identifies the crucial design decisions that make (or break) the potential for zero-net energy. The truth is that every energy model is WRONG to some degree - and yet they are essential to an integrative design process for high-performance project outcomes. In the spirit of the integrative process, at key points during the session, the audience will be prompted to participate in real-time performance modeling decision-making using cloud-based building energy modeling tools. In one specific example, a seemingly \"good\" decision when considered in isolation will be shown to be detrimental to overall energy performance when considered in the context of the whole building using dynamic real-time tools. The audience will also be introduced to \"next generation\" energy modeling using genetic algorithms to achieve design optimization solutions and total carbon modeling, which incorporates emerging processes and databases for assessing and optimizing embodied carbon intensity as part of a project lifecycle carbon assessment.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Explain the top five design considerations of ZNE that need to be considered before responding to a request for proposal (RFP).
2. Identify specific design questions that a project team needs the building energy modeling effort to answer as early as pre-design.
3. Determine the appropriate tools to ensure that energy performance and lifecycle carbon goals will be achieved on any project.
4. Prepare a framework to effectively integrate early-stage building energy modeling within any firm’s culture and design practice.
About the Presenter:
Amanda Bogner, PE, BEMP, FASHRAE, is Vice President at Catalyst Partners, where she provides technical leadership and strategic insight to help building owners, design teams, and institutions use energy modeling to advance high-performance, low-carbon buildings. A licensed mechanical engineer and ASHRAE-certified Building Energy Modeling Professional, Amanda has more than two decades of experience making simulation-based decision-making practical, accessible, and impactful across design, construction, and operations.
In 2026, Amanda was elevated to the ASHRAE College of Fellows in recognition of her significant contributions to the built environment and the advancement of energy modeling practice. Prior to the 2025 merger with Catalyst Partners, she was founder and President of Energy Studio, a consulting firm she led for 15 years. Under her leadership, Energy Studio completed more than 500 projects in 38 states, including more than 100 LEED projects and over 100 million gross square feet of modeled building area.
Amanda began her career in mechanical design and energy modeling, contributing to notable high performance building projects across the United States and Canada. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering from the University of Kansas and has remained an active contributor to the advancement of sustainable design standards and policy. From 2011 to 2016, she served on the U.S. Green Building Council’s Energy & Atmosphere Technical Advisory Group, supporting the development of LEED v4. She also serves as an elected member of the Omaha Public Power District Board of Directors,
where she helps advance policies supporting a reliable, affordable, and increasingly decarbonized electric grid.
Amanda is a frequent speaker and educator on energy modeling, net-zero design, decarbonization, and the evolving relationship between buildings and the electric grid. Her work bridges technical analysis and real-world decision-making, helping project teams translate performance goals into practical design and operational strategies.
